Monday, April 21, 2014

DISCLAIMER: As of December 25th, 2014, this list has been rendered moot as I have gotten around to some of these games many months after this list was made.I'm sorry, I don't have a review ready at this point. I'm just not certain what to review next as there are so many games to cover (a part of me wants to cover Mega Man and its sequels but another part wants to do something else; why did my reviews need to be so ambitious?). I still need to express my thoughts on the remaining Wander Over Yonder episodes I've seen, but I haven't gotten to that either (and I really should). *sigh* =( In the meantime, I could get some things out of the way.

Every gamer has got their own personal selections of games that they are either cautious or uncertain about, whether it be due to their preconceived feelings on the original if its a sequel, due to not knowing what to expect from it, or because they don't feel confident about trying it at the moment (all the while they are curious about them). I have my own personal pick of games that I'm curious about but am not going to try anytime soon because of any one of these reasons. Now does that mean I'm never going to play any of these games that I'm about to highlight? For the most part, no; as someone who has a passion for retro gaming and all things 16-bit, there will come a day that I'll snap out of my uncertainty and will one day experience them. It just might not happen for awhile, certainly not in the following weeks to come. Everyone has got their personal choices, to each their own; these are my Top 13 SFC/SNES Games I'm Reluctant to Play. Why Top 13? Because despite what people say I'm a proponent that 13 is a lucky number. Let's get started!

#13

Image from MobyGames

Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius[|O|]

Now I really enjoy the Parodius games, they are some of the most outrageous and insanely wacky games I've played in years (with a great cast of colorful Konami characters that intentionally spoof the Gradius games; and for some reason Sparkster isn't one of them), plus they are nonsenical and fun too. Parodius Da! Shinwa kara Owarai e, which I played for the Game Boy, is very fun and its follow-up Gokujō Parodius - Kako no Eikō o Motomete (which I played for the Super Famicom) is its equal in every which way, even better I dare say. But there is another Parodius that I want to try but at the same time I can't bring myself to because of one element: consistent chatting (the title literally translates to "Chatting Parodius"). I looked up that throughout the cute'em up there is an ongoing audio commentary on how you're doing and what is going on around you, and quite frankly I don't know if that's such a good idea. For one, it can be very distracting, and this isn't the kind of genre where a commentary is a necessity (what's wrong with playing a cute'em up for fun and enjoyment, that didn't stop Konami before, why add something so seemingly offputting?). I don't know, maybe if I overlook that aspect it'll still be fun and good like the previous games, but as I said before: I'm not sure I want to hear constant talking throughout a whole cute'em up.

#12

Image from the website Retro Game Guide

Bonkers

I've seen and grown up with a lot of animated shows since I was little, though I can't honestly say that Bonkers is one of them; I have seen the show eventually but only for less than a year, so it wouldn't really count anyway (and from what I remember it was inoffensive but forgettable, though I've seen a lot worse over the years. *cough*Fish Hooks*cough* Besides, DuckTales and Wander Over Yonder are much better Disney animated shows anyway, but I digress). I hear that it's one of Disney's most disliked shows, and yet despite that being the case there were three video game adaptations of Bonkers, one of them being a sidescrolling platformer for the SNES by Capcom. Of course when it comes to Disney video games developed by Capcom, you usually cannot go wrong. From what I gather this is one of those Disney slumps and a disappointment for Capcom standards. Of course, I wouldn't know, I haven't played it. There is chance that it might be good, maybe it will be, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it if I play it. I suppose I'd have to go in with an open mind and lower my expectations.

#11

Image from Wikipedia

Uniracers (Unirally[|O|])

Many of you should know the history behind this game, but for those of you that don't I'll try to keep it short: in 1987 PIXAR created a 3D short called Red's Dream that revolved around a red unicycle in a bike shop dreaming about being famous and out there. Seven years later DMA Design created a racing game for the SNES with speeding unicycles, and the unicycle in the cover was red and looked like Red from the short, which PIXAR took notice of. There was a lawsuit as a result which sparked controversy; afterwards those that liked the short ended up hating the game, but those who did like the game hated the short (and to some extent PIXAR because of the controversial lawsuit). I don't know how that works, but apparently these two made it possible, which is actually kind of sad. I hear it's got a bit of a cult following and that it was made to showcase that the SNES could handle fast-paced sidescrollers despite its slow-processing capabilities; oh yeah, like Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, Sparkster, and TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventure have not all proven that it possible. Although to be fair, it doesn't sound like a bad idea and it's pretty cheap in (online) stores; I'm just not sure I'm in the mood to play this one just yet, plus I'm afraid of which camp I'll fall in if I do play it.

#10

Image from MobyGames

Dragon View (Super Drakkhen[|O|])

I'll be right upfront with you: I love Drakkhen on the SNES, I personally think it's a fun experience. As a game it could benefit from some challenge and length (as much as depth), but as a tech demo it's really good (the 3D overworld and music especially), though I do understand why others would feel less than enthused. I hear that the sequel Dragon View is superior in some regards (it also plays like Zelda II: The Adventure of Link it turns out), and I do want to play it but it always seems to sell for a bigger amount than its predecessor. I also hear that there are some elements from the previous game that either turn up inferior here and/or don't turn up at all, and I'm not certain how I feel about that. Despite its flaws Drakkhen had a lot of quirky and standout elements going for it (like the day/night feature and Space Harrier-inspired enemies for instance). Maybe it'll be good, who knows? I guess I'm afraid that there won't be as much magic to be found in Dragon View as there was in the quirkfest that was Drakkhen.

#09

Image from gaming.wikia.com

Addams Family Values

I haven't seen the movie this was based on in full (so it wouldn't be fair), though that would be far from the main reason I'm reluctant to play this. Not since Fester's Quest by SunSoft has Uncle Fester been assigned to the role of main protagonist (which I find interesting), plus Ocean is one of my favorite obscure companies and regardless of how you feel about their games there's always this distinct feel and charm about them. Unlike the first two SNES Addams Family games this one is a full-on adventure game (like the aforementioned Fester's Quest), and I'm all for a good adventure game, and from what I hear it's very interesting. But I'm a little cautious because there is an element that is scaring me off. It's not the fact that it's hard, because I can handle most challenges, and it's not the fact that it's got passwords (I can handle that too)... it's the fact that passwords are in a specific area and that they are few and far between which scares me off. I hear it's good, but I hear that it's frustrating as well because of that and I'm not sure I'm in the mood for frustrating right now.

#08

Image from MobyGames

Jelly Boy[|O|]

Ever since I bought a Retro Duo I've been purchasing Super Famicom cartridges from Japan, but in the meantime I've heard that it doesn't work with all European SNES games. So for awhile I only stuck with SFC carts (as it works for all SFC titles from what I've played), but recently I thought of biting the bullet and I imported Super Morph. When it got here, I was glad to find that it worked (so far my only PAL SNES cart). Now just because it worked once it doesn't mean I'm not still mindful of what PAL carts might or might not work. Jelly Boy (not to be confused for the SFC version of Smart Ball, Jerry Boy) looks very interesting from what clips I've seen of it online. But there is a fist protruding from the character's tummy! A fist protruding... from his tummy!! ... It's very unusual! Although, it looks very colorful, and I'm surprised at how many blob-related games there were back in the '90s. I'd love to try it, but I'm not certain if it'll work on my Retro Duo, and if it does work, I don't really know what to expect.

#07

Image from tvandlust.net

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel

One of my favorite platformers on the SNES for many reasons is Mr. Nutz, which often gets riddled with middling reception (I do understand, to each their own). It may not be perfect, but in my opinion it packs a lot of cool challenge and fun gameplay. Doesn't matter how you feel about that squirrel-driven platformer in the end, it's still got a cult following. Now Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel, on the other hand, has fared a lot worse in terms of overall reaction (mostly unfavorable opinions). I haven't played either Aero the Acro-Bat (to which this is spinning-off) yet, though I hear that they're both better games. The fact that this squirrel character in particular has got ninja moves does have me intrigued, and from the screenshots I've seen it looks really good. A part of me wants to try either the first or second Aero the Acro-Bat game first, though I guess I'm hesitant about this game because I'm afraid I'll be disappointed (it looks so cool and I don't want to get my hopes up). 'course, I won't know until I play it.

#06

Image from Wikipedia

Paladin's Quest (Lennus: Kodai Kikai no Kioku[|O|])

This is an RPG that I've been curious about for some time, but at the same time it's a game that I am very hesitant about for many reasons. I often hear divisive opinions on this game, and the story and concept for it does have me a little intrigued. The gameplay I hear is very unusual for turn-based RPG standards, for its possible to attack with different parts of the body, and apparently there is no MP (characters use their HP when casting magic instead), which is a little strange. I don't mind different takes on a formula, but I guess the reason I'm hesitant about it is I wonder if it'll be fun to play. Maybe there's a chance it'll be decent, and I hope it will be, but at present I'm a tad uncertain for it.

#o5

Image from WikipediaAnd no, I am not going to utter that tasteless name

Landstalker 2: Challenge from the Past[|O|]

Do I even need to explain why I don't want to play this one? ... No, the real reason I don't want to play this game is because I didn't like its predecessor Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole. I thought it was a poorly crafted and highly obnoxious isometric adventure game (not because it's difficult, but because of its structure), and yet so many people out there clamor it to be one of the best (if not the best) adventure game you'll find on the MegaDrive/Genesis (which I'm still scratching my head about, as I personally fail to see what was so great about it). If you're going to make an isometric viewed game that involves platforming, then it'd better have solid jumping controls (like Equinox on the SNES does, for instance) in order for it to work; it doesn't work in Landstalker due to its awkwardly loose feel. Not only is the sequel's title a major turn-off for me, but I hear that it is reportedly worse, and I refuse to play an extension of an overhyped game that rarely worked in the first place. If you liked Landstalker then that's great, more power for you; it just didn't work for me personally, and I'm not playing the sequel. If I want to play a great isometric adventure game, I'll settle for Equinox or Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, thank you very much.

#04

Image from Wikipedia

Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shōgun Magginesu[|O|]

Like Landstalker 2's case, the predecessor to this entry falls under the category of games that people love but I myself find highly overrated. Unlike said game where the sequel is reportedly inferior, Ganbare Goemon 2 is a sequel that I hear is even better than The Legend of the Mystical Ninja. And that's great, it really is, because as good as the music, mini-games, and visuals were in the first game, there were so many problems that prevented me from fully enjoying it. The password system was too complex and unless you have ten sets of sandals you'll go way too slow, and each hit takes away your power-up or equipment one at a time (that's only for the overworld though, and it really irks me that it affects your speed too; also it could be rather obnoxious at times). I hear that Ganbare Goemon 2 is really good though, and as curious as I am about it, I don't want to experience the same problems as I've had with the first game (as I fear that they might resurface here). I love Konami as much as the next guy, but unless I change my mind and feel confident about trying this sequel, I think I'll pass. Besides, the Pocky & Rocky games are superior anyway.

#03

Image from arrakis1979jrpgworld.wordpress.com

Mystic Ark[|O|]

I should explain my thoughts on the turn-based RPG The 7th Saga first: I don't love that game, but I don't hate it either. It's manageable up until you fight one of the apprentices, which gives it the reputation of it being a hard game (actually, the apprentices are the only thing that's frustratingly hard about the game, though the music's nice). I'm not a fan of that game, I'm more of a Brain Lord guy (I'm one of the only people that has ever stuck out for that game despite its obvious generic qualities). So to hear that The 7th Saga got a sequel (or spiritual follow-up, rather), let alone a Japan-exclusive one, is a bit mindboggling for me. Not to say that Produce making another turn-based RPG isn't fascinating, it is, I'm just not certain what to expect from it. And I don't know how challenging it'll be, if that, since I found nothing on Mystic Ark's difficulty. I am curious, but I'm also uncertain about it at the moment. If it's got unreasonably hard apprentice battles like its predecessor, then there will be a big problem.

#02

Image from the Vast Sea of Games website

Secret of the Stars (Aqutallion[|O|])

Again, I don't mind a fun turn-based RPG once in awhile, but from what I hear this one particular is anything but. A part of me does want to play it to see what it's like, but I hear its more akin to a turn-based RPG you'd find in the NES console and that its pacing is slow even for those standards. It doesn't sound exactly like good fun, more like overly tedious. Tecmo has proven that they were capable of crafting fun action-platformers and sports titles, but an RPG? Yeah, clearly this was new territory for them, and its turned a lot of people off apparently. I would like to give it the benefit of the doubt one day and try it for what it is, but I'm not so confident about trying this game just this moment (if only for its apparent slow pace and the fact that it doesn't sound very fun).

And the #1 SFC/SNES game I'm reluctant to play is:

Image from MobyGames

SOS (Septentrion[|O|])

I'll be blunt: I am afraid to try this game. I've seen gameplay videos, heard some things about it, and listened to some of its music; but even so I am frightened of it, as basically it's the video game equivalent of The Poseidon Adventure. Yeah, it's that kind of game, where a ship gets turned over after a huge tidal wave crashes on it killing the huge majority of the passengers leaving only six or seven survivors (if not less) trying to escape the ship as it slowly sinks to the bottom of the sea as they overcome obstacles along the way. That is the kind of game that makes me very nervous. And what makes me more nervous is the amount of replay value it apparently has, where the endings vary depending on which character you choose, how many people you save, or if you try to survive alone sacrificing your conscience in the process. It sounds heavy and incredibly overwhelming, and its done by the guys that crafted Super Soccer and Clock Tower no less! I'm not sure I can play this game (no matter how curious I am about it), it sounds way too herculean even for me; Plok and ActRaiser 2 have got nothing on this. I don't know, maybe it'll be good, but can I handle SOS if I do decide to overcome my fear and try it? I wish I knew.

So this was my Top 13, thank you for reading it and let me know what you thought. If there were some things I said that you disagreed with, to each their own. If you've played some of these games that I've listed, then feel free to tell me whether I'm missing out on them or not. As I said before just because I'm reluctant to play some games it doesn't mean that I'll never play them, it just means that it might not happen anytime soon. I promise that the next time I'll make a Top 13 (my personal favorite SFC/SNES games from 1994) it'll sound more uplifting and a little more indepth than this one, but in the meantime... I have to consider what game to review next. Take care.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Hello everyone, StarBoy91 here; very passionate about video games, big retrophile, and fan of all things 16-bit. ... Yeah, I'm gonna have to work on that if I'm going to use that opening. =$ Anyway, April 5th is almost here. It's that day of the year again, and you know what that means?

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! =D

This is a wonderful day to celebrate for more reasons than one! =) Like last year with Skyblazer, I'm going to review a very special video game classic for my 23rd birthday, and it's one of my favorites. Ah, twenty-three years; how time flies. But before I start and reveal which game it is, allow me to make a recap.

This game was (for the most part) on fire

After Capcom unleashedThe Magical Quest starring Mickey Mousefor the SNES to the world in 1992, it became a huge hit, and for good reason. Not only was it the first 16-bit Disney (and Mickey Mouse) game that Capcom developed, but it also proved to be a competent adversary for Sega's Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse from two years prior. It had everything everyone ever wanted from a Disney platformer: incredibly polished and intuitive controls (introducing the magic outfit system that served you well under various circumstances), a very good amount of charm, well-designed areas, colorfully beautiful visuals, a wonderful and atmospheric soundtrack, a magical feeling lingering throughout, as well as a decent amount of challenge. The only thing it didn't have? A GOOD ENDING!!! >=(

Beautiful area, way too short =(

Look, I don't expect a really complex plot when it comes to platformers, nor do I expect them to be perfect, but gosh-damn does it really upset me when a game has the makings of something spectacular in terms of buildup and atmosphere, only to be undone by a hard slap in the face unsatisfying payoff (which devalues the whole buildup that led up to it), which was this game's biggest sin. And it's too bad, because if not for that then it would've been really great; instead it turned out to be just merely great. =( And it's not the only thing that's wrong with The Magical Quest, for there was a timer which was a wasted element entirely and the fact that some areas were longer than others, meaning that a few stages were over before you knew it. Aside from those aspects, there's nothing really that bad with it, as I consider it to be about four-fifths of a good game; it just fell a little short of being a completely good one. Still, it did good nonetheless, so Capcom figured that a sequel was in order; which I'll review for this occasion. =)

Alternate Name: Mickey & Minnie: Magical Adventure 2[|O|]

Console: SNES | Year: 1994 | Developed and Published by: Capcom

Sometimes I miss the days of magazines

Having come out two years later for the same console, The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie was the first follow-up of The Magical Quest. Like the first game, I first found out about today's game through a magazine (albeit as a Game Boy Advance game before I found out they were originally SNES games). It was in Issue 126 of Game Informer back in late 2003; unlike the Nintendo Power issue from the year before where the first game generously got coverage alongside the maligned Disney's Magical Mirror starring Mickey Mouse, the second game (titled Disney's Magical Quest 2 starring Mickey & Minnie when the GBA port was made) only appeared in this magazine in a small blurb. Some games would get coverage in the middle of the page, while some (to fill in room) only small space, especially when it came to would-be releases. When I read the blurb, I remember being a little flabbergasted and uncertain from it by the time I finished. Don't worry though, my readers, I'll get to that later.

After I found out these two were SNES originals several years ago (talk about a dummy moment for ya), I wanted to experience them; and after one of my cousins lent me his SNES console back in 2008, these were some of the games that were on my wishlist. But there were several problems along the way: I'm not just a gamer, but a collector too. Which meant that any time I thought that either The Magical Quest or The Great Circus Mystery would be next to buy on eBay, another game would always catch my attention. Another issue was sequential order; when I read a positive review of today's game on one of the websites I was intrigued, but I was conflicted because I wanted to try these games in their proper order (since playing game series out of order is something I consider a bad habit... one I admittedly haven't completely given up on), and sometimes I considered trying the opposite when I knew it wasn't proper. So it would be awhile before I tried either of them.

Choose your Mouse

Fast forward to March 2012 when I paid a visit to the retro game retailer 3D Games. I was in the mood for an SNES game (I was searching for Drakkhen at the time since I remembered them having it). What I had planned to find wasn't there, but that's okay, since I found something a lot better: two games caught my eye. One of them was The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie, while the other was the SNES video game adaptation of The Pagemaster. =) Both these games I've been curious about for so long (in particular the latter since childhood), so I decided to buy them at the same time; it wouldn't be until my 21st birthday less than a month later that I would play The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse. As far as I'm concerned both were worth the wait and the price of admission; so now that I got all that out of the way, how does Mickey's second Capcom-flavored magical adventure fare compared to its predecessor?

One day Mickey Mouse and his girlfriend Minnie decided to head to the circus. They had planned to meet their companions Goofy, Pluto, and Donald, but Mickey overslept so the two arrived late to the party by metro bus.

Apparently it's a good thing the events unfolded like they did because something went awry at the circus. As the two arrive Goofy comes out all glum stating that the circus is ruined and has been invaded by monsters and ghosts. Wanting to investigate further, Mickey and Minnie decide to take matters into their own hands to find out the cause behind all this. So our heroes decide to right the wrongs that have been caused before having arrived at the scene.

Along the way they discover that the mayhem was all set up by a criminal mastermind, known to many as Baron Pete. Wait, in the first game he was an emperor, now he's a baron? What's next: Pete becomes a king?? XD =| Oh...

The gameplay is like that of The Magical Quest, and for those that don't know how it plays I'll explain the basics. Mickey (and Minnie) can jump, duck, swim, throw projectiles at enemies, throw stunned enemies (after having jumped on top of them) themselves, and run down diagonal slopes. But the biggest selling point for these games are the magical outfits and how they serve you well to overcome specific situations, and The Great Circus Mystery is no exception in that regard. There are three outfits you'll find and wear throughout, and it's important to alternate between them in moments that matter; which can be cycled through with either the L or R shoulder buttons and then confirming them with the A button. The controls in this game are very good, and they have a polished feel to them.

The adventure begins again

The first one you'll find is the sweeper outfit with a vacuum containment unit, which you can use to suck up small enemies for coins, blow fire out of candles, and even pull heavy objects towards you in order to get across. Huh, I didn't know Capcom were fans of Ghostbusters. However use is not unlimited, which means you'll have to find some batteries to keep its charge replenished. Next is the safari outfit, which allows you the privilege to climb up walls and swing from hook chains thanks to your hook; it may not prove great it battle, but it does give you mileage as far as reaching higher spots is concerned. And last but not least is the cowboy getup which gives you a cork pistol and a stick horse which you can use to bounce up and down (though you can stop by ducking). Like the sweeper outfit, ammunition is limited so you'll have to find some extra corks to fire if you're running on low. Experiment to your heart's desire. =)

Most visually impressive area of the game

The visuals have been slightly updated since the last game, and they look more colorful and beautiful than ever, even better. The colors are well-chosen, and each stage has nicely detailed foregrounds with good-looking backdrops in the distance (creating a bit of depth in the process). The map screen before you start off any area looks sweet, the Jungle area has got a good look and feel with the drops of water on the trees shining in the gorgeous backdrop, and the Frozen Plains have got neat ice and snow landscapes with an impressive-looking aurora borealis around. But you know what's even more impressive than that? The tower segment of the Haunted House! =D Normally in these kinds of locations you'd be ascending through a series of steps while outside, but in here you climb it upward while inside as the walls both in the background and on the sides gradually move as you do! Dude, not even Mickey's Wild Adventure and Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday could pull off something this amazing, it looks really good in motion. There are even some color layering effects that help augment a sense of depth, like in the outside portions of the Haunted House and while you're swimming underwater where it's always wavy (which looks sweet). Every other area looks good as well.

Another improvement from The Magical Quest was the character design and animation.

Seriously, just compare and contrast Mickey's sprites between the two, you'd be astounded by how improved the quality is in The Great Circus Mystery. Also, it's smoother and better polished this way.

What say we trim this guy's hair, or rathersuck it up all away?

Whilst in the previous game there were only a few frames of animation, this sequel ups the ante by making several frames' worth of it, resulting in a very fluid and smooth animation. Mickey and Minnie have different walking and posing animations, but the other animations are pretty much equal (save for a few changes). It's not bad really, for it's honestly very cute. The Lonesome Ghosts look good and animate decently what with their green garb (wait, green, why is it not blue??). Some of the charming yet imposing enemies you'll fight are the Mini-Petes (of course), a few variations of Weasels, small clown balls, tiny skeletons posing as ghosts, flying squirrels, small anthropomorphic candles, plus more. The midbosses and bosses are big and look detailed, for they have great designs like the grimacing ice cloud, the dinosaur, and the wolf with his spinning hair. Baron Pete looks fantastic as well. =)

Swinging in a crystal-laden cave

The soundtrack of the first game had a distinct sound and feel that was not only fun to listen to but did a very good job at representing the appropriate tone and mood for each area. The Great Circus Mystery's music, on the other hand, falls short of that. =( And that's saying something, because it's Capcom we're talking about, and a lot of their games whether you like them or not have always offered a solid soundtrack to back them up. So, what happened here? And what's disturbing is that this serves as proof that the first sequel (regardless of whether or not the sequel is better than the first game) will almost always have an inferior soundtrack to its immediate predecessor; this applies to not just this game but other examples too like Croc 2, Kirby's Dream Land 2, Super Wagyan Land 2, Breath of Fire II, ActRaiser 2, Mega Man X2, and even Final Fight 2. Such is the curse of trying to top an overall aura that once made cannot be beat. I mean seriously, name one first sequel that had better music than the original!

Image from Wikipedia

Um, okay... name me a first video game sequel that had superior music that trumped the original!

Image from Wikipedia

Heh heh,... right. >_>

"I WAS FROZEN TODAY!!!"

So, ignoring all that, what is the soundtrack like? Frankly speaking, this is a weak effort for Capcom-branded Disney licensed standards. Okay, that's a bit harsh; it's a noble attempt, but I wish all the soundtrack was high-quality as opposed to just a few legitimately good songs (even then they sound shorter); I'm not certain making the music significantly lightweight was well-advised. The Caves theme is short and repetitive (despite the sweeping flourish near the end; Disney's Aladdin had better cave music than this), the player select theme sounds more upbeat and colorful, the Frozen Plains theme has an icy feel but is super short and feels unfinished at worst, the boss themes sound nowhere near as imposing as the ones from The Magical Quest, and the Haunted Circus music? Not really big on circus-themed music, but seeing as it's a miracle that it didn't turn out to be super annoying, I find it to be passable at best. Good news, Mr. Nutz, you and The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie have got one thing in common! Erm, ... except for the adorably realistic-looking bees anyone has ever seen in a 16-bit platformer.

Nicolas Cage: "No, not the bees! NOT THE BEES!!!" DX

Beautiful aurora borealis in the sky, part 2 =)

So are there any good songs? Actually yes, though they range from barely good to really good. The ironic thing about this game's soundtrack being weaker than the first game is that the title, intro, ending, and credits themes are better; but that's not saying much exactly. The title and intro themes fall in the category of barely good, and not just due to their quality. The only in-game songs I considered to be genuinely good were the rousing and adventurous-sounding Jungle theme, the ever-brooding and mysterious Haunted House theme, and the theme for when you fight Emperor Pete in frame format (if only because he was the main villain in the last game, and Capcom even remixed his theme from there). The ending theme is wonderful and feels very rewarding when you finish the adventure, and the credits is good to a point but serviceable. =) The sound effects are good, plus Capcom improved upon the dialogue box text effects by giving them tolerably light sounds (in the first game it sounded rambunctious, in here it sounds just right).

I can't imagine how painful it must be to have toswim through icy cold water

Comparatively speaking, The Great Circus Mystery is a much easier experience than The Magical Quest in more ways than one. The timer's gone this time around, which is good since the first title really had no reason to use it at all. Capcom's implemented a password feature too (since the previous game had to be beaten in one sitting), but since this is a Disney game by Capcom it's not like you'll really need it all that much. In The Magical Quest if you lost a life then you would have to restart the stage portion all over again (say Stage 3-3), while in The Great Circus Mystery if you do lose a life you'll restart by the exact point of the area you lost your life in. Even without all these comparisons, this is still an easy game, but to a point.

Mysterious fog

There are three difficulty settings to choose from, and how the game will be depends on the setting you played under. On Easy you start with five hearts (which can be added should you find heart containers in either covert rooms or in a "General Store" for two hundred coins), on Normal you begin with three hearts, while on Hard mode you commence with two. Depending on the mode you play there will be fewer enemies and more platforms on the easier setting and vice versa for the harder setting, with every amount in-between for the normal setting. The bosses have got decent patterns, and while they're easy they are fun to battle, especially Baron Pete with his two forms. Like the first game there are unlimited continues, and while it is easy even when the mode is set on Hard it does offer a decent amount of challenge. But hey, so long as the game is fun, I don't care whatever difficulty it is. =)

"Take that!!"

When The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie was released in 1994 for the SNES it did considerably good but reaction towards it was mixed to positive, whilst the first game's reception was generally positive. One of the common complaints geared towards it was the fact that it felt too much like the first game, and it's true; one of the biggest challenges of continuing with a formula set by the original is how to make it not feel stale. A fair of amount of people will admit that once you've played a Mega Man game, you've pretty much played them all (for exemplification purposes); some people that played both The Magical Quest and The Great Circus Mystery shared the same sentiment here. It also did not help matters that the SNES version of Traveller's Tales' Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse came out around the same time, so both titles were compared with each other (talk about bad timing). This game also garnered a MegaDrive/Genesis release a short time after the fact (making it the only Capcom-developed Mickey Mouse game ever made for that system), and nine years later it was remade for the Game Boy Advance as Disney's Magical Quest 2 starring Mickey & Minnie. General consensus was about on par for all three versions of this game, though the handheld version fared a lot worse. And speaking of which, it's time for me to introduce to you all how I came to know about this game:[Warning:This segment that you are about to read is done purely out of fun and not mal-intent; expressive passion will also be present, so tread carefully]

......................................... What? @_@

Certainly, this caught me by surprise when I read it back in 2003, as at the time I couldn't fathom the prospect of a bad Mickey Mouse game (then again, I didn't know any better and I didn't play that many Mickey platformers back then). Still, I have so many questions. For starters, everyone has a different perception of what score constitutes as bad (for me, if a game scores below a 5, then it's officially bad); in this mini-blurb Lisa the reviewer comments that it's bad, yet the 6.75 rating she gave it contradicts her attitude towards it. Second, this isn't a review; this is small superficial summary, it doesn't add anything. Third, the lack of elaboration does not help matters at all (she's said the visuals were "respectable", but that's it). Finally, "worst jumping controls in memory"? Really? As opposed to what, exactly? Why does she feel that way? We don't know why because she doesn't give an explanation behind the reasoning. Okay, since she hadn't really gone too deeply into it, I'll try to explain for her.

The jumping controls in The Magical Quest were a little bit floaty, but they were still good and solid. In The Great Circus Mystery you spent less time in the air than you did in the previous installment, since the jumping was fine-tuned and made a bit more solid. But is that justifiable enough reason to condemn it for having the "worst jumping controls in memory"?

If that's not it though, is Lisa referring to the fact that you consistently bounce up and down with the cowboy getup? Because if that's the case, you do realize that you don't have to stay with that outfit the whole time, right? You do know that it can be worked around and that you can stop bouncing by holding down to duck, right? <=| That's not reason enough to make that outlandish claim. I'm going to go out on a limb and presume that either something terrible happened while the game was converted to GBA format (since I only played the SNES original), or she must've not have experienced the SNES and MegaDrive/Genesis versions and only tried the Game Boy Advance port. Again, there is no elaboration; all we get is "worst jumping controls in memory".

Swinging while battling a sneaky turtle

I'm... not going to pretend that I feel adverse to moments like these, because trust me when I say: I do. =( The fact that Ecco Jr. got a 2 out of 10 in NintendoLife is bull crap; the review itself is bull crap too (though I blame that more on the older version's format than the reviewer; the game was treated poorly because it was compared unfavorably to its two predecessors as opposed to being treated as a game on its own, which made the assessment highly unfair). The fact that Motorcity and Tron: Uprising were cancelled too soon, even though they were legitimately good Disney XD shows, in favor of puerile and unfunny crap like Lab Rats and Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja is unfathomable. The fact that the fun and high-adrenaline pumping giant on giant creature feature Pacific Rim got snubbed not once (landed in third in the first box office weekend behind Grown Ups 2) but twice (what do they nominate instead of this movie for Best Special Effects? Gore freakin' Verbinski's The Lone Ranger, are you kidding me?!?) by a very bad movie is inexcusable. The fact that 4Kids altered much of the content of acclaimed Japanese anime for American distribution to "ensure American kids would get the proper silly and clearly censored treatment" is highly off-putting at worst.But you know what? I don't blame or insult people for that, you know why? Because these are all based on my opinion, and each and everyone of us has got personal feelings and views on stuff; if every single person felt the same thing, the world would be boring. Opinions make the world a more interesting place. To each their own, I say that all the time. If I do poke fun, it's usually for characters in media or professionals, but not regular people themselves; not due to meanspiritedness, but out of harmless fun plus justification. I'm not one of those "you're opinion sucks because it doesn't match mine" kind of people, I respect other peoples' viewpoints regardless of whether I agree with them or not. If I do need an elaboration on why someone might feel a certain way (even if it's on something they like but I don't or they don't but I do), I just ask. I politely ask "why". "Why do you feel this way?" You don't even have to write a book about it, just a simple single-sentence reason is enough (and if it's not, you can add a couple more if you feel it will explain it a lot better). Pretty much all my reviews elaborate on why I feel the way I do about specific games; if you're going to say a statement that will raise an eyebrow or two, then you had better have a good enough reason to back you up on that.Now, what did Lisa say about the game's jumping controls in that Game Informer magazine? "Some of the worst jumping controls in memory". Uh, huh, right. Well, since that's all we have from her, we don't know why she feels that way. Maybe it's the GBA transition, maybe it's her initial experience with it, maybe it's nothing; but if anyone knows why Lisa feels the way she does about the jumping controls, it's Lisa. If you say something that will ignite a reaction (in a "professional" review, no less), you'd better have at least a good reason to say that, otherwise your word will be challenged and not at all be taken seriously. It's a little hard to believe that out of all the games she'd reviewed by 2003, this was on her bottom list as far as jumping controls were concerned. Now I'm a reasonable person and do not bash people because of their opinions... however, since she failed to elaborate on her comment, I hope Lisa forgives me when I express how much I disagree with her through this fan-made image of mine:

I'm sorry I have to be like that, I really am. I didn't even want to give her "review" more attention than it deserved, but your unelaborated comment provoked me, Lisa of 2003's Game Informer, and you have no one to blame but yourself for that! I'm sure you must be a nice person, but your thoughts on the game lacked credibility because you didn't give a reason to be negative for the jumping controls, in my opinion. *breathes* And scene! Wow, that feels really good to have gotten all that out of the system! =) Nothing against Lisa, the way she wrote her review just rubbed me the wrong way, was all. All right, back to business!![This section is now finished, now to the final paragraphs of my review]

This would be a very good nod to the first game,if the first game wasn't a dream

A lot of criticism for The Great Circus Mystery was aimed at the fact that it felt a little like the first game all over again. And while it's true that it is like the first game, it is far from the only thing that's wrong with it. The soundtrack was disappointing in comparison to The Magical Quest's, as it felt lightweight and uninspired at times (with a few exceptions). Emperor Pete makes a cameo, and while it's nice, it feels off-putting to me when all it does is give me a painful reminder that the first game was nothing but a dream.=( Another flaw is the name: why is it called The Great Circus Mystery? The circus only takes place in the beginning stage, and the mystery (which isn't all that great) is figured out before you reach the halfway point. Conversely, the buildup feels weak (but the payoff here is good), and there's a reason for that: I don't feel the same amount of magic here that I felt in the first game.

The Magical Quest had moments that inspired awe and wonder, like this tree sap portion;moments like these were absent from this game =(

A mistake I felt this game made was being more grounded to reality, with a few supernatural elements thrown in. Yes, the magic curtain magically appears when you change outfits, and I can buy the Haunted House fitting in the theme of magic, but tell me: does a circus, a jungle, a cave with fossils, and a frozen plain sound like magical places? The areas in the first game had an authentic magic aura surrounded to them; this one didn't all that much.

Heck, even the incredibly obscure Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! had a bigger sense of magic than The Great Circus Mystery, even though its average fare and was translated terribly. Even so, there was a fun sense of magic going for it.

Swim, Mickey, swim! =O

So, even though it's got all these flaws, it doesn't prevent me from enjoying The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie. It doesn't mean I haven't grown to accept that its got imperfections, because I have. Like Mr. Nutz which I reviewed last time, I personally enjoy it for what it is but I do understand why others wouldn't. =) To each their own. Despite its issues, I like this game more than The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse. For one, I played this one first, but that alone wouldn't cut it. The visuals were colorfully polished and more detailed than before, the game was fun to play with fine-tuned controls and polished gameplay, the charm was still there, each stage felt about equal in length, the moot timer was no longer used, the payoff was fantastic despite a less than impressive buildup towards it, and the ending was actually nice and worthwhile (it's made even better by the fact that: it's not a freakin' dream!). =D Each individual area was still pleasing to the eyes (especially the rotating tower, that was awesome), and this game left an impact on me when I first played it two years ago. For the longest time Mickey's Wild Adventure for the PlayStation One was the only 2D Mickey platformer that I played, and to experience another 2D entry after all this time was a very pleasant surprise and experience for me. I had a lot of fun with it the first day I played The Great Circus Mystery, and I still have fun with it; this is a Disney platformer that I have a lot of fondness for, and it makes me wish that I played it when I was little. It may be easier than the first game, but it's still a hell of a good forty-to-fifty minutes whenever I play it.

If you fancy a good 2D platformer with Mickey Mouse and his girlfriend Minnie in it, then I think you'll have a good time with this one. =) If you're looking for a challenging Mickey platformer, I suggest looking up Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibōken instead. If you're looking for non-demanding entertainment and fun, well you've got it! If you expect it to match the magic and atmosphere of The Magical Quest, then you should lower your expectations in that regard. If you could care less about its challenge and enjoy a platformer for what it is, I think it's worth a look. I don't think it matters if you play this game before (or after) The Magical Quest, because even though some flaws will be more apparent if you play one before the other, it's still one of the best Disney-themed platformers you'll find on the SNES. Take it for what it's worth, for Mickey's second (not so aptly named) magical adventure is really good. =)

When looking at both these games, it's easy to appreciate them for the games that they are. It's also easy to wish for Capcom to combine the best of both games and create the ultimate Nintendo 16-bit Mickey platformer. Capcom granted gamers' wishes in 1995, but only in Japan; ten years later it would see a Western release as a GBA release. Oh yeah, because as we all know that's the perfect way to experience Nintendo 16-bit titles! =P

That game was Mickey & Donald: Magical Adventure 3. But that's for another time, I'm afraid.

( >'.')>TO EACH THEIR OWN<('.'< )

P.S.: I hope none of you thought I was being too harsh when I expressed my disagreement with Lisa's "review" for Game Informer. What I was trying to get across was that if you don't clarify a reason for making a statement like that people will get confused and want to know why it was uttered to begin with. Again, not being mean, but it just bothered me.

P.S. 2: I had originally planned to review this game back in early 2013, but I felt I didn't have a sufficient amount of screenshots at the time, so it was delayed as a result. =(

P.S. 3: Now that I reviewed a game for my 23rd birthday, it's time ponder what I'll review for my 24th? But that's a year away from now, so we'll see. ;-)

P.S. 4: I had to make a Wander Over Yonder reference, I had to! It's been almost two months since the last episode aired, and while I love the show to death I don't know how I feel about its new episodes first airing on Disney XD as opposed to Disney Channel. Oh, speaking of: I still have to share my thoughts on the other episodes I saw. Why am I such a procrastinator when it comes to these things? =(

P.S. 5: Glad I got my thoughts on The Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie out of the way! =) Hopefully it'll take less than a year and one third until my review for Mickey & Donald: Magical Adventure 3 comes out.

P.S. 6: Those of you that disagree with my criticism of The Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse's ending and defend it on the basis that it's Capcom's first Disney video game developed with Mickey in the lead role, I've got one thing to say to you all: that's not a valid excuse, and it should've ended on a more rewarding note.

P.S. 7: I still miss Mickey's old voice actor Wayne Allwine. =(

Thank you for reading my special birthday review, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Take care!!! =D